Amestris Laboratories
by die-hard-4-anime
Summary: With Hughes running out of time, Mustang decides to help him gather the rest of the remaining test subjects, Edward and Alphonse Elric, to escape as a dying request for time's sake. But what happens when they awaken a certain AI? What is the Elrics' connection with this place? The answers may be beneath their feet... Rated T for Ed's mouth and future violence. EdWin, Royai NO OCs!
1. Prelouge

**Why hello there fellow Fullmetal Alchemist/Portal fans! Thank you so much for clicking on this story! It seems my awful case of writer's block has finally worn off because I'm starting to write like crazy for once in two years! Now this story will be based on brotherhood/the manga and also will be roughly following the portal 2 storyline. I'm so excited! This is my first crossover! **

**HAPPY READING!^^**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own FMA or Portal...**

* * *

"So, how many are there?"

"When I checked, there were only two left alive. It also seems that they're related. Brothers to be exact."

The figure smiled sadly in the shadows as he spoke into the radio. The red light from the radio blinked in a way to follow the low hums underground. "It might be a good idea to keep their connection a secret for now. It might cost us more time that we don't have."

"You're right. I've calculated a route for us to escape. It runs through two old testing tracks. Unfortunately, it runs through 'THAT' chamber as well. It's our only option." The small AI spoke through the receiver. His blue screen harshly cut through the dark as he moved along the rail.

"How about you take the older one. I have a feeling he'll be able to keep up with you better." the old scientist chuckled sadly into the radio.

The AI thought about this for a second. He recalled that the younger's relaxation chamber was malfunctioning slightly, causing his life support to only be half working. His chamber altogether looked like it was about to fall apart as well. So, what could he do if the boy started to slip out?

"Alright. But if you're going to be helping him, I'd leave now. He needs special care."

"I'll be on my way then. We'll meet at the main breaker room." the man grunted as he stood up. Being underground for this long has taken it's toll on him. From the looks of it, he didn't have much time left. The last thing he grabbed was the hearted box. He set it on his shoulders with care as he began to trudge through the darkness behind the panels. Before he went far, a thought struck him before he spoke into the radio. "And Roy?"

"What is it Hughes?"

"Don't do anything stupid."

The robot laughed lightly through the receiver.

"Right."

* * *

As Mustang rode down the rail to the chamber, he couldn't help but feel sad for his old friend. He knew it wasn't going to be much longer. He'd probably last only shortly after they had all escaped. Despite what was bound to happen, Hughes still wanted to help the last of those left alive escape this underground hell before his passing. And Roy swore he was going to help him fulfill his last wish. Both have already lost too many friends to that monster. Now with him dead, and Hughes slightly recovered, they can escape this damned place.

Finally, Mustang made it to the chamber where the eldest brother was resting inside. Pushing his lingering thoughts aside, he pounded on the door to get his attention and hopefully wake the boy up. After a good five minutes of nearly breaking down the door, the knob finally turned, and a obviously groggy and crouchy teen came into view.

* * *

***Third Person Ed's POV***

It was quiet, except for the occasional low humming of machinery or creaking of aging metal, in the resting chamber. So, the long haired teen slept on, undisturbed.

...KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Ed groaned as he pulled the covers over his head.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

He gripped the sheets tighter."Damn it, GO AWAY." his voice was hoarse and slurred.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"FUCK OFF. Let me sleep."

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Can't hear you! I'm asleep..." he muttered. He followed it up with fake snoring.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"GOD DAMMIT!" he hollered as he ripped the sheets back. He jumped from the bed and wobbled to the door. He was still a bit slaphappy from waking up.

After having a bit of trouble finding the door, his hand turned the doorknob as he rubbed his eyes. A peculiar round sphere greeted his field of vision. His bright blue screen, which Ed guessed was his eye, blinded him, making him squint.

"Well, good morning Sleeping Beauty. It's about time you woke up. Have a good sleep pipsqueak?" the sphere taunted in a cool stern voice.

A vein popped on Ed's forehead.

* * *

**aaaaaand, that's it! BAM! End of first chapter! thank you so much again for clicking this story! Look forward to a new chapter soon!**


	2. May The Testing Continue

**Hello Again!^^ I did have this written yesterday, but I was so busy yesterday that by the time I was done, it was too late to spell check it. Anyway, Here's Chapter 2!**

**Enjoy^^**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Portal or Fullmetal Alchemist...**

* * *

When the door opened, Roy had expected the teen to be upset about being awoken so rudely. What he didn't expect was the kid to rip him off his rail and slam him to the ground.

Odd.

"I'M NOT A PIPSQUEAK YOU BASTARD!" screamed the flustered test subject, huffing as he swayed from side to side, and eventually leaned against the door frame. 'His legs seem to be asleep still. Not surprising,' the core noted, feeling a bit dizzy from rolling about on the floor.

"You know, I may not be human, but still feel pain!" Roy growled while he attempted to make himself sound intimidating. It didn't work out so well.

"Well, then you should keep your damn comments to yourself, you piece of trash," Ed spat back as he finally regained his balance, standing normally. He seemed to be a bit more awake now too, as he began to take in his surroundings, "What the hell is going on? It looks like a trash heap around here! How long have I been asleep?"

Roy took this moment to sigh as he was facing the ground, making his voice a bit muffled. "Well, before you decided to chuck me, I was about to explain why. Now pick me up since you broke the rail."

Ed did what he was told, but he still wasn't in a very good mood. He turned the small core towards his face so he could speak properly to the boy.

"Now, listen. We need to get out of here..."

* * *

Hughes made his way to the chamber at a slow yet steady pace. He needed the energy he had left, so he couldn't afford to waste it. He noticed he was a bit out of breath, so he stopped for a bit in fear of reopening his old wound. He took a seat among the rubble behind the panels and set his cube next to him gently. He then took out an old photograph from the chest pocket of his lab coat. It was torn and slightly burned around the edges. It also was stained with blood.

His blood.

He still held the picture very dear. It was the last reminder he had left of his darling little girl. And his wife…

He couldn't even remember her face anymore. Her face was burnt away. He hadn't seen her since that day.

He cleared his throat as he wiped away a stray tear. He tucked the photo away and began to stand up. Before he could pick up his cube, he heard a long, loud, creaking of metal a little ways down the path. He knew he had to get moving. At this point, the chamber would give at any moment. He grabbed his cube and made a run for it.

* * *

In the chamber, the young teen slept soundly, but his breathing was uneven and rigid. His form was pale and thin, and he was drenched in sweat. He stirred slightly, but his slumber continued.

_Creak..._

Still no sign of awakening.

_GAAAAAAAAPE...CRASH!_

The beams supporting his chamber gave way, and the chamber itself began to tilt down towards the pit below. Alphonse was definitely awake now, but he began to slip out of his bed and out the shattered window. At the last second, he gripped the edge of the chamber before plummeting down into the endless free fall that awaited him. He howled in pain; his arms were still frail and were being pulled under his own weight. Finger by finger, his grip loosened and he shut his eyes, ready for the fall.

But then a hand grasped his.

* * *

"Now with that out of the way, could we get going? We've already lost a lot of time. And now with me disconnected from the rail, I can't take us to the track the shorter way. Now we have to take the long way there..." Roy complained.

"Alright, alright fine. Let's get going," Ed muttered, trying to get the damn thing to shut up, "Which way do I turn?"

"Right. Then just keep going from there. I'll let you know when to turn again." Roy explained.

Ed nodded in response, and proceeded down the catwalk. The walk was silent, but unsettling. Everything echoed around them, including the clanking of Ed's boots along the path. After a few more twists and turns, they made it to their destination. Ed was a bit unsure of the drop. Mustang chuckled good-naturedly.

"It's alright. Your boots soften your fall. So go ahead and jump." He reassured.

Ed grunted in response, and leaped into the small glass room and landed with a clunk of his boots. Ed sighed in relief and stood from his crouching position. He tightened his grip on Mustang, as he heard the announcer speak.

"Hello, and welcome to the Amestris Laboratories Enrichment center..."

* * *

**Look forward to another chapter soon...**


	3. Making Friends

**Hello Again! I'm so very happy with how this chapter turned out! And it's longer too!^^ 5 pages! **

**Now I'd like to warn you about this chapter. It gets a little violent. And Ed also swears a lot more in his one too. I just want to warn you. **

**With that in mind, I hope you enjoy this! Happy reading!**

* * *

Alphonse was sure he was done for. Who knew how long he'd be falling for? He couldn't even see the bottom! So, he closed his eyes, and waited for the sound of rushing wind to pass his ears.

But then a hand grasped his.

And blood splattered.

Al opened his eyes to see a older man squeezing his hand, keeping him up with all his strength as Al dangled over the pit below. But what Al also noticed was thick, sticky crimson liquid coming out from his mouth. He clearly looked like he was struggling. Al had forgotten about his arm and it began to make cracking noises, making Al yelp.

'Not good! His arm his starting to come out of the socket! I need to get him up now!' Hughes told himself. With everything he had, he pulled the boy up and into the chamber. Shortly after, he coughed up more blood as he picked the boy up and ran out of the chamber as the final beam snapped and the chamber fell silently below. He set him down as he wiped the blood from his lips and beard. Al let out a sigh of relief but still clenched his shoulder in pain. Hughes took a greedy breath of air and made his way to the boy.

"Your body has probably atrophied from your malfunctioning life support. Your arm, let me see it. "Hughes explained, then motioning toward his arm.

Alphonse watched the man closely, unsure to trust him. He saved his life, sure. But what was this man's motives? He took one last gaze at him, and his appearance was a bit misleading. His beard had taken over half of his face, and his hair looked like a mass overgrowth on his head. His glasses were grungy and cracked as well. Al was beginning to have second thoughts if he should trust this man. But the man's eyes were what stopped him. They were hazed over with a bit of insanity, sure. A bit crazed if you might say.

But... His eyes were soft. They seemed understanding and compassionate. They were...

They were the eyes of a father.

Alphonse wasn't sure what was, but he felt he could trust this man somehow. With a bit of hesitation, he moved his hand away from his shoulder to let the man observe the arm. Hughes looked over it with care, as a parent would look over their child who had fallen down and scraped their knee. After he was finished, he looked Al in the eye with full seriousness.

"I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to put it back in. It's going to be painful. Way more then when it popped out. I need you to trust me, I'm here to help you, alright?" he explained. His eyes were apologetic and looking for approval.

Alphonse took a deep breath to silence his doubts. He can trust him. He wouldn't hurt him.

"Alright. I trust you."

"Okay then. Now, I need you to be strong. Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah," the boy answered, looking Hughes straight in the eye, "Just make it quick please."

"Right." He responded, beginning to grab the arm, and slowly bringing it up to the necessary angle. Al couldn't help but cringe and hiss in pain. Hughes swallowed the guilt in his throat and continued.

"Alright. You ready?"

Al took another deep breath to calm himself.

"Yeah."

"Okay, on three. One...two...THREE!"

And then Alphonse screamed.

* * *

"Hello, and again welcome to the Amestris Laboratories Enrichment center-"

"What, the hell!? Who the fuck is that?" Ed exclaimed, nearly dropping Roy.

"Relax! Its just the announcer!"

"Oh... Phew, don't fucking scare me like that..."

"Who are you even talking to?"

"...No one. Nevermind."

"-The portal will open. And emergency testing will begin in three, two, one."

_Click!_

Suddenly, a warm light shown on Ed's back. When he turned, a round ring of orange was placed on the wall. It was magnificent. It was wonderful how it stood out from the dull overgrowth and rusting of the chamber. But really had him lost for words was what was within the ring of light.

He could see himself. He could see himself standing in the glass room with the small sphere in hand. He looked to his right, and similar ring of light was on the wall as well. Only that one a deep blue. He could see himself more clearly in that one. After a little while, he decided to place his artificial hand on it, thinking it was a screen of some sort. He was caught of guard when his hand wasn't stopped by glass. His hand went straight through, with no delay. He was stupefied by just how easily it went through.

This has to be some kind of trick right?

He closed his eyes and took a leap of faith as he stepped right through. He felt a rush of wind from a different direction and the sounds heard in the room were less muffled. He opened his eyes to find the glass room in front of him.

What the hell is this?

"Having fun now aren't we?" snickered Roy, amused with the boy's awe of the portals.

Ed frowned down at the little AI in his hands with a snarl. This guy was getting on his last nerve. Why did he have to even carry this thing around anyway?

"You know, I outta leave you here to rust with the rest of this junk. You're starting to really piss me off." Ed threatened. He gave the small core a smirk and a narrowing of his eyes.

"That'd be a bad move on your part. You see, when we get to the main breaker room, the only way you can access it is if you have a AI connect to it. In this case, that would be me. So, in other words, your stuck here without me." the small sphere shot back, sounding a bit too smug for Edward's liking.

"You bastard. I don't understand how your friend even puts up with you. Your annoying as hell." Ed muttered.

He started to walk around the glass room in the center and towards the door that conveniently opened for him as he approached it. He walked through the doors to find a small room with an overly-sized button on the floor, a tube of some sort coming from the ceiling, and another door which he guessed led to the exit. Shortly after he strode in, the doors shut behind him with a click and a whirr.

"Cube-and-button based testing remains an important tool for science, even in a dire emergency. If cube-and-button based testing caused this emergency, don't worry. The odds of this happening twice are very slim."

Ed set Mustang down and walked to the button. Halfway there, the bottom of the tube opened up and a box fell with a clang. He put the pieces together in his mind and went to grab the cube to place it on the button. When he picked it up, it wasn't as heavy as he expected it to be. So, he hauled it over without a problem. When he dropped it on the button, the entire room shook for a second or two, making dust fly in the air. But just as Ed guessed, the door opened.

Well, halfway.

"Congratulations, you're not as big of an idiot as I made you out to be, squirt." Mustang teased from on the floor.

Ed took this opportunity to kick him across the room.

"DAMMIT! I'M NOT SMALL!"

"GODAMMIT! AGAIN WITH HURLING ME ACROSS THE ROOM!"

"WELL KEEP YOUR FUCKING TRAP SHUT!"

"Whatever! Just pick me up so we can go." The small core demanded, trying to change the subject. Oh, how he couldn't wait to get this brat out of here!

Ed finally calmed down and snatched him off the ground and stomped through the doorway that kept sparking as it attempted to keep open. Ed stopped dead in his tracks when he came face to face with a strange blue force field of some sort.

"What. The fuck. Is that."

The voice chose this time to speak up.

"Please note the incandescent particle field across the exit. This Amestris Laboratories Material Emancipation Grill will vaporize any unauthorized equipment that passes through it."

Ed looked at the small core with mischief. "Hmm, I wonder..."

"Whatever you're thinking, don't even! You need me, remember!?" Roy began to shout.

The teen snickered as he held on to Mustang with both hands and dashed through the Grill.

Passing through that was the strangest feeling Ed had ever felt in his life. His whole being shook, his head was throbbing, and his stomach was doing somersaults. He stumbled back as he began to see double. The core slipped from his fingers and down the stairs as he dropped to his hands and knees. He breathing came out ragged and shallow. He felt like he was going to hurl.

"S-shit..." he managed to sputter out. He swallowed hard as he licked his lips. After focusing on regulating his breathing, the feeling passed and he started to stand up. He slowly dragged his feet down the stairs to where the sphere laid, completely silent.

"Oi! Shit pile! Wakey wakey!" he huffed still a bit woozy. He leaned over to pick him up. "What? No back talk?"

When Ed turned him over, he had lost his voice. Roy's screen was flickering and static. He wasn't responding either. He shook him, slapped his side even. But nothing was happening.

"Hey! Don't bail out on me now! Damn it! Come on!" he yelled close to his screen. He shook him harder and harder. "HEY!"

Shortly after, Mustang seemed to have snapped back into reality. His screen stopped flickering and started returning to its shade of blue. He let out a soft groan.

"...Wha-? What just happened?" he slurred, looking around drowsily.

"God dammit! You have goin' there for second! Thank god!" he sighed in relief.

"Ha, that's cute. You were worried about me?" Roy teased.

"Shut up. Let's just make a note not to take you through that again. Look, I see one of your rail things." Ed pointed out, eager to change the subject.

"Fine then. Give me the cold shoulder why don't'cha? Just connect me there, okay?" Roy said.

"Finally! Now I don't have to carry your fat ass!" Ed chirped in relief.

"Now that hurt."

"Whatever," he muttered. In no time, he had Mustang on his rail and made his way to the elevator, "You know, you're annoying as fuck."

Mustang let out a loud, long laugh. "I think you've already told me that. But it s not like your any different."

Now it was Ed's turn to laugh. "Touché. You never told me your name, you know. Do you even have one?"

"Of course I do!"

"Well, what is it?"

"Just call me Mustang."

* * *

**I've noticed that Ed and Roy have become comic relief in this story. huh, odd. Oh well!^^ Look forward to the next chappy soon!^^**


	4. It Rings A Bell

**Hello Again! I'm back! Here's a new chappy! And were being Introduced to a new character this chapter! But don't worry, it's not an OC. I don't do OCs. I'm so excited! I would like to apologize if any of these characters are a OOC. Some of them I've never done before. **

**Happy reading!**

* * *

When Hughes popped the boy's shoulder back in, he cringed in guilt. Al let out a bloodcurdling scream followed by short gasps for air. He quickly clenched his shoulder, trembling slightly. That's it, Hughes had had it. He couldn't take it.

"Alright, that does it. I knew your life support was broken, but I never guessed your condition was like this. I can't let you go through that testing track." Hughes grabbed Al's other shoulder and looked him straight in the eye.

"Testing track? W-what are you talking about?" Al stammered slightly, opening his eyes. His eyes were wet with tears.

"Don't mind it. I know another way around, but it's going to take a lot longer for us to get out of here." Hughes muttered to himself, picking up his cube.

'Roy's not going to be happy with me when I get there...' he thought to himself.

"Where are we going?" Al asked, attempting to stand up while clenching his shoulder. His legs just couldn't do it, and his knees buckled underneath him.

After pulling the box up to his shoulders, he leaned down and grabbed Al's good arm and put it over his head. He slowly stood up supporting Alphonse. His eyes were hidden behind the glare of his glasses.

"We're getting the hell out of this nightmare."

* * *

The ride to the next chamber was quiet, besides the humming of the shaft, much to Ed's surprise. It might've partly been because Mustang wasn't there. But it was mostly because he was having trouble processing all of this, so he was at loss for words. So far, from what he could remember, he woke up in that room and began testing. He couldn't remember much of anything else. It was all too hazy. And he could've sworn he had heard that AI's voice somewhere before. His name was ringing a bell too. He felt like he was missing someone, someone important... He just couldn't remember much before waking up. He couldn't even remember how he got in that chamber in the first place, now that he stopped to think about it. He was pulled from his thoughts when the elevator slowed to a stop. When the doors opened, he was greeted by the small core and the voice that echoed throughout the chamber.

"If you feel liquid running down your neck, relax: lie on your back, and apply immediate pressure to your temples. You are simply experiencing a rare reaction in which the Material Emancipation Grill may have emancipated the ear tubes inside your head. "

"Is that supposed to be comforting? And you never told me it'd make me feel like a fuckin' piece of crap. Bullshit." Ed muttered, trying to shake off the feeling.

"Enjoy your ride, pipsqueak?" Roy said coolly.

Ed stomped his feet and flailed his arms like a small child.

"God dammit! When are you going to quit with that!?" Ed complained, waving his fist in the air.

"Never. It's a lot of fun to poke at you." Roy said cockily.

"You fuckin' junk ball."

Ed got through the chamber fairly quickly. He decided to push aside his interest for the portals aside for obvious reasons. A simple push of a few buttons and a cube later, and he found himself at the Grill again. He took a deep breath and walked through slowly this time. He felt the familiar shaking of his body, and the ill feeling returned mildly this time. It left his throat feeling rather dry, but it far better than the last reaction. He ignored the feeling and stepped into the elevator.

* * *

"First, before we go, we need to get you some braces for your legs. Not only will they help you walk, they'll cushion your fall, so that'll make it easier on your legs." Hughes explained, still carrying Alphonse. They were behind the panels now. It was safer this way. Less obstacles. They were on their way to the supplies wing, where all the testing material was kept. And hopefully, there was some food there to put in this kid's stomach too.

Al nodded in response, but didn't say anything. He was thankful this man was helping him, really, he was. But why was he doing this? From the looks of it, this man was already dying. But then again, he was in a similar situation.

Hughes was starting to get tired. His breathing was getting heavier, his legs were shaking, and his chest was starting to feel constricted. He tried to keep moving, but he was forced into a coughing fit. He had to stop. He quickly covered his mouth with his sleeve as he slowly knelt down. He leaned Alphonse against the wall and took a seat himself, still hacking with out a pause for breath. Al could see a shade of dark crimson soaking through his sleeve. Al struggled to lean forward to help him out, but Hughes's hand stopped him, keeping him against the wall.

"It's alright," Hughes reassured him, finally finding air to talk. "This always happens when I push myself too hard. I just need to rest, that's all. "

"Okay. Just don't go too far on my account." Al said, giving him a weak smile.

Hughes grunted in response, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He took the cube from his shoulders and plopped it in his lap. He stroked the top of it with gentle fingering. Al watched as he whispered to hearted cube with a bleak look on his face. Al wasn't one to judge, but he couldn't help but stare at the man with bewilderment. He was treating it like it was his child or something.

* * *

***Hughes's POV***

"Okay. Just don't go too far on my account." Alphonse said with a weak smile. Even though the only thing he has been doing is walking, he looked exhausted. His condition is worse then I thought. I sat down and wiped my wet forehead.

"Daddy, is everything okay?"

She startled me a little. She hasn't been talking much lately. My darling little Elysia, she must be tired. That's why I've always carried her on my back ever since that day. If it weren't for that photo, I probably would've forgotten her face a long time ago. I took her off my shoulders and set her on my lap.

"What's wrong daddy? Is big brother Al okay?" she said worriedly. My little angel. Always concerned about everyone but herself. I stroked her top softly, feeling only cold metal.

"He's fine sweetie. He just needs some rest and something to eat. After daddy rests up, he's gonna do that for him." I whispered closely to her side. She seemed quiet for some reason. "What is it babygirl?"

"Is he able to hear me like you can?"

My words were stuck in my throat. The hollow sound in her tone made want to cry. "No sweetie, he can't. I'm sorry." I chocked out.

"Oh."

She didn't speak after that. That was my cue to get moving. So, I placed her on my back and looked at Alphonse. He had a weird look on his face, but quickly looked away. I know why, but I just shook it off. I know I've lost it, but I cant take it back now. These voices are my only comfort. In a way, their the only reason I haven't snapped. I grabbed Al's arm again and slowly rose, supporting him and ready to get moving again.

"Thank you, sir." He squeaked, struggling to move his legs. A wave of nostalgia hit me as I put a grim smile on my face.

"Just call me Mr. Hughes, Alphonse."

* * *

Mustang rode down the rail to the next chamber. The silence was thick and the shaft was dark, besides his glowing screen. The kid was as feisty as he remembered. He still seemed like his old self, snarky and determined. But the kid still had his heart, and that was good too. It didn't surprise him that his memory wasn't doing anything for him, its a common thing when put in the chambers for an extended period of time.

His thinking was put to halt when the bottom of the shaft was now visible, the floor of the next chamber coming into view as well. The problem was that the rail had broken at the end of the shaft.

Shit.

So, out dropped Mustang face-first onto the ground next the elevator shaft. Moments after, the elevator came to a stop and the teen stepped out, only to laugh and point at the AI. .

"Yeah, yeah. I know, hilarious." he muttered, rolling his eye. After Ed had his laugh, he picked him up and made his way up the stairs.

"Well, it looks like I'm stuck carrying your fat ass again. Joy." Ed muttered.

"It's not my fault the rail broke. Anyway, this chamber here is where you get your gun." Mustang explained, getting eager to drop the matter.

Ed stopped in his tracks. "Wait, gun? What gun? What are you talking about?" he began asking curiously.

"The Handheld Portal Device, what other gun is there?" he said flatly.

This perked up Ed's interest. For some reason, that seemed to jog his memory a bit. He felt like he could recall that name from somewhere. So, without hesitation, he walked into the chamber. The doors opened and he made his way down the steps. He turned left at the bottom and was met with a center room to his left. There was some sort of podium in the middle that kept sparking like it was jammed or something.

"Huh, that's odd. It's supposed to be there." Mustang said, a bit puzzled. Ed couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Roy saw the look on his face and spoke up again. "Maybe it fell off or something. lets take a closer look, alright?"

The blonde nodded and stepped over the debris and overgrowth of the chamber. He took another step foreword to get a closer look of the center room. The next couple seconds were very confusing for the both of them. It took them one second to notice a roaring crash beneath them. The next to figure out that the floor was crumbling beneath Ed's feet. The final second to realize that they were going down with it.

* * *

***Someone's POV***

It's really dark. It always has been, for as long as I can remember. Not even the light emitted from my screen could cut through this endless "nightfall". I've been stuck here for quite some time, this small room, or whatever it is. Every now and then, I'll hear an occasional creaking or running of feet outside, but no one has bothered to open the door. I don't have much memory of outside this room, except for one thing.

I remember this man. He was tall and thin, but his build was broad along his shoulders. His face was clear and pale. He had shaggy black hair. His eyes are dark and thin, showing little emotion.

Except when he looked at me.

When he looked at me, they were soft, gentle, and deep with compassion. He grabbed my hands with care, and spoke to me in a hush tone. His voice was stern and strict, but it also had a cool tone mixed in. It was soothing. I remember him yelling, and giving orders, but he only told me one thing.

"It's okay, it'll be alright Riza."

I don't know who this man is, but if I ever get out of here, I'm going to find him. I just hope I get out of here soon.

* * *

**And End! Arrrrgh! I'm already getting writer's block and it's not even chapter 10! oh well! I'll keep trying! Look foreword to chapter 5 soon!**


	5. Baby Steps

**I seriously have no excuse as to why this is late. Writer's Block maybe? Or school starting? No, those do not count.**

**I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE EXCUSE MY LATENESS! DON'T MURDER ME WITH AN AXE! **

**But anyway! Here is chapter five! Be ready for some serious parental Hughes and Alphonse! :3 **

* * *

As the floor crumbled beneath them, Ed wasn't quick enough to jump back, resulting him falling with the rest of the rubble along with Mustang. He was silent, he didn't scream. He was in so much shock that no sound came from his mouth. He only watched with non-blinking eyes as the bottom got closer and closer. He pulled Roy closer to his stomach and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the impact.

Only, it never came.

Somewhat.

He felt a splash of cold water and a sudden jerk of his legs. He slowly opened his eyes to find a small sea beneath his feet. The water went to his ankles as the light from above shown on the water, making it glisten and show the bottom. He finally let go of the air he had trapped in his lungs and stood up straight. He loosened his grip on the small core and pulled him close to his face.

"Hey, you alright? That was close. Whatever these boots are, they're lifesavers." Ed told the core.

"...Y-yeah..." Roy managed to say. He was still a bit shaken from the shock.

"Oh come on! Are you really that easy to break!? That's a surprise! What happened to mister brash?" Ed snickered.

"You don't understand. I can't be near water. One drop and I could short out for good. I may have a lot advantages, but being waterproof is not one of them," Mustang explained, getting out of his funk. "I'm just glad you didn't drop me."

"Whatever. I got a good grip don't I?" he scoffed. He glanced up and it clearly looked like there wasn't any way back up. So he began to take in his surroundings and found a panel with a set of arrows pointing to his right. It looked like it was painted into it, the way it dripped down. Something told him that he should follow them. He sloshed through the water and down the narrow hall that led to an interesting space.

Inside, there were these... murals of some sort. Each more interesting then the next. There appeared to be men in white lab coats. Some of their faces were so familiar that it was a slap to Ed's face. They were all gathered around a machine of complexity and mystery. The next was of a man. He looked a bit... frightening in his opinion. He looked like he had snapped. Something was wrong as the lab coats were struggling to breath. There also was a figure of some sort who seemed to be watching from a distance, grieving probably, along with a hearted box. The one after that featured the same machine. With it, was a mirror image of himself as the machine offered him a slice of cake.

Wait, what? As confused as he was, these murals had given him an unsettling feeling of déjà vu, and kept observing them.

He wasn't the only person there. Beside him was another blonde who had shortened hair. This one looked frightened as the Ed in the mural comforted him. They both seemed to be carrying their own guns of some sort as well. To the right was the same figure from the last one with the same box in its hands. The next one was the same machine and the same mysterious blonde from the last mural. The boy seemed to be floating unconscious above the machine as the machine itself seemed to be collapsing in on itself. For some reason, Ed wasn't in this painting. The same figure from before was there too, and this time, it seemed to have taken over more of the "canvas" as it held the same intriguing gun in hand from the last mural.

The final mural had Ed at loss for all words. His mind went completely blank. The mural was beautiful. The way it was cast in the corner with the sunlight merely hitting it only in blotches, thanks to the leaves was magnificent. But the mural itself was baffling. It featured the same short haired teen in full detail with closed lids and a content look to his face. He looked awfully thin and battered. Ed's head began to throb because of how familiar this boy looked. He was so frustrated with how he looked. It pained him for some reason.

Could this boy be the person he was missing?

He pulled himself from his thoughts as he gave his attention to the stair platform in the center of the space. At the top, a object was sparking and making a lot of racket. So, Ed went up to investigate. At the top was the same gun from the murals.

"Hey, Mustang. Is this the gun you were talking about?" Ed asked.

"Yeah, that's the one. With that, you can shoot your own portals wherever you want. But you can only put them on white surfaces." He answered.

Ed couldn't help but grin with childish eagerness as he gently set Mustang down to avoid him from accidentally rolling into the water. He picked the device up and placed his artificial hand into the slot at it's bottom. It fit perfectly with his hand. The built up excitement buzzed at the back of his skull as he held it up to get a closer look. As he looked up, however, he noticed one and final mural. It wasn't really anything special, but it still interested him. The phases of the moon were drawn sloppily above his head.

"Hey, what are these things exactly?" he asked with new found suspicion. This core hasn't said a word since they entered this room. He must know something.

Mustang quickly looked away. He had hoped the kid wouldn't put the pieces together so quickly. He knew very well what these were and who created them. He was there. But the kid couldn't know just yet. Not until they had all escaped.

"I don't know. This is the first time I've seen them. I didn't even know these were down here." Roy lied.

"Don't give me that bullshit. Something tells me you know exactly what they are. Now, tell me who is that guy is in the murals. The one who is wearing the jumpsuit." Ed demanded, now getting frustrated with this AI.

"I don't know. We need to get going, alright?" Roy quickly changed the subject.

_"We're running out of time."_

"Don't play fucking dumb with me! Who is he!?" Ed began to yell.

Mustang gave up. "Alright, fine. There's another person traveling with my friend to the breaker room. That person is the boy from the murals. That's all I'm going say."

Ed remained silent but the expression on his face said otherwise.

"We need to get moving. We've already wasted enough time down here." the sphere demanded. Roy was finished with this argument and wanted it put behind them.

The Al had a point, as much as Ed didn't want to admit it. He couldn't stand the fact that he was being left in the dark on this whole matter, but they did need to get moving. So, pointing the device at one of the murals, he felt a lever of sorts in the slot of the gun which he guessed was the button to shoot portals. He pulled it, and the device jolted back slightly as a flash of blue shot from the other end of the gun. The mass splattered on the panel and formed a blue portal. Ed looked to his right and saw the orange portal conveniently set by the catwalk that most likely led out of this room. So, now all that was left was figuring out how to hold Mustang AND the gun.

Tricky.

"Here's a question, how the hell am I supposed to carry you and the damned gun!?" Ed questioned, a bit frustrated.

"Your answer, the gun has a anti-gravity field feature that allows you to grab stuff with the device. Now stop your damn screwing about and pick me up." he barked, his patience draining quickly.

Ed growled bitterly, having a half-mind to kick him in the water. He let go of the thought as he flipped a switch at the side of the device. The tongs at the end of the device extended and bolts of electricity surrounded the small robot as he was pulled towards Edward. Now they could finally leave.

* * *

"How do you know my name?" Al questioned, taken a bit off guard.

"Its a long story. I'll tell you more when we get out of here. After we get your boots, we'll be meeting up with two others at the main breaker room," Hughes explained, as he continued to carry Alphonse down the path. The wing was close, just literally around the corner.

"Okay then... I suppose." he said slowly. There wasn't much else he could do except trust this man.

After turning the corner, they finally reached the room. The door was locked, but it could be opened with a good shove of the shoulder. Hughes set Alphonse down gently against the wall and took a couple steps back. He took a deep breath and hurled his shoulder against the door with all his might. To his surprise (and displeasure), the hinges on the door were already broken off and it fell over with ease. Hughes ended up falling with the door and slammed into the floor harshly. He hissed out a curse as he slowly picked himself up, clenching his shoulder tightly. He hacked a couple times and a small amount of blood came from his mouth, but not much.

"Well, I guess the door is open..." Hughes stated weakly, chuckling a little, "Let's go in."

Al was a bit shocked. This man, who was most likely dying from the inside out, had slammed his whole body at the door and was laughing about it!

"Uh, are you sure you should be doing this? Honestly, I know I'm in bad condition, but you are too! You need to take it easy! Maybe when we get out of here, we can have someone help you, not just me!" Al had scolded. This man was reckless. He didn't seem to care about his own condition.

"There's no hope for me. I know I'm going to die very shortly." Hughes muttered sadly. His eyes were looking away from the boy.  
Al's breathing became shallow, and stared at this man with pitiful eyes.

"But you, Alphonse, you have a chance to live still," Hughes looked Al straight in the eyes, "This is the last thing I want to do. I want to get you out of here so you can still have a life worth living. It's partially my fault you're like this right now, so I want to make things right. Before I die." Hughes began to tear up a little as he wore a grim smile.

Al sat there, silently, trying to find the right words.

"O-okay."

Hughes nodded, and picked the teen up again. As they walked through the doorway, Hughes grabbed a flashlight from his pocket and switched it on. The room was ransacked and falling apart. Hughes set Alphonse down again and looked about, and saw mostly broken pieces of equipment and empty food canisters. He searched a little bit more but still didn't have any luck.

"I don't see anything that's useable..." Hughes thought out loud. Al helped with the search as well, but when he saw that this was going nowhere fast, he came up with an idea.

"How about we fix up a pair? We can just use parts from other ones to make a useable one." he suggested. For some reason, Al pictured a blonde haired girl as he spoke.

"Not a bad idea..." Hughes trailed off, still deep in thought, "Alright then, I see a pair that are functioning but the shock absorbers are cracked and falling off. I can just take some off from another pair."

Hughes quickly snatched the boots off the shelf and began ripping the absorbers off. After they were removed, he grabbed another pair and gently turned the screws with his fingernail. As they began to gradually become loose, he yanked them out and placed them in his pocket. After a little bit of configuration and twisting of screws, the boots where ready for Al.

"That was a good idea there Al. How'd come to you?" Hughes asked, beginning to place the boots on his bare feet.

"I'm not really sure." was all he could say.

After he finished, he slowly raised Alphonse onto his feet. He held onto Al's hands, but was more gentle with his left, as he tried to find his balance.  
"How's it feel?"

Al genuinely smiled for the first time since he awoke. "It feels amazing. I can stand again!" he exclaimed excitedly. As Al's wobbling lessened, Maes released his hands and took a few steps back. His legs were still a bit shaky, but at least he could stand on his own. Now there was the matter of seeing if he could walk. So, Hughes moved to the other side of the room and spread his arms wide.

"Mr. Hughes, what are you doing?"

"Come on Alphonse, we need to see if you can walk. Walk to me, just baby steps are fine." Hughes stated with full seriousness.

_"I never got to see Elysia's first steps,"_ he thought sadly.

Al nodded, blushing a little. _"Isn't there a better way to do this?"_ he thought.  
Maes had his full attention on the kid as his legs struggled against his body weight. Al clenched his teeth as he picked up his left foot slowly and shakily. Pain immediately shot up his leg as his unused muscles were being forced to work.

_"This is too much."_

He began to doubt himself. The pain was getting the best of him as it made his empty stomach turn.

_"I can't do this. It hurts too much."_

His head felt like it was full of cotton, throwing him off balance. He quickly dropped to his hands and knees. His breathing came out ragged and shallow.

Maes did nothing to help him. He just stood there with the same look in his eyes as before. This was something he needed to do on his own.

_"Come on Alphonse, I know you're much stronger then that."_

Al's gasps for air turned into violent hacks that shook his whole body. His sweat began to form puddles on the ground. Tears ran down his bony cheeks as he began to sob.

_"IT HURTS! MAKE IT STOP, PLEASE! HELP ME BIG BROTH-"_

Al froze. He stopped dead in his thoughts right there. Who was he even calling for? Suddenly, an image of a boy had surfaced into his memory.

His eyes were golden and piercing, beckoning for a challenge. But, they also held a hint of childish innocence and compassion hidden well behind.

His hair perfectly matched his eyes with its rich, creamy, sunny, highlights enhancing the thick golden color. The bronze tints made his appearance look angelic as his hair reached way down in-between his shoulder blades, put in a sloppy braid.  
Alphonse breathing hitched as he slammed his fist into the ground. For some reason or another, he felt an overwhelming urge to see that boy. He had to.

_"Don't you give up now! Get up!"_

Maes watched as Alphonse slowly rose to his feet and began dragging his feet towards him. His face was twisted up in pain but he was moving! He was almost there as his steps slowed. He panted heavily. He was getting tired.

"Come on Alphonse! Just a couple more steps! You can do it!" Hughes encouraged.

"I'm...trying...sir!" Alphonse panted back. Al picked up his feet once more and before he knew it, he fell into Hughes's arms.  
He sighed loudly in relief as Hughes slowly set him on his back to rest. He shut his eyes to rest and Hughes ruffled his hair in praise.

"Good job, squirt. You go ahead and rest for a bit. I'm gonna look for some food for you," he whispered close to his ear.

Alphonse wasn't able hear his words. He was already fast asleep.

* * *

**I find it funny that just now realized how ironic it was to make Mustang not waterproof. **

**LOL. I'm so slow.**

**Look forward to Chapter 6!**


End file.
